Promise of a Future
by desertwolf4
Summary: Sirius/Remus.  After a party in the Gryffindor Tower, a drunk Sirius decides to make an interesting  and possibly crazy  deal with Remus.  And Remus accepts.


**Author's Notes:** Haven't you ever made a deal with a friend? Something like this? Maybe? Dunno maybe it is just me. Anyways! This is for my friend Jess. Who said I should write this. Enjoy!

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><p>It was starting to grow late, stars twinkling beyond the glass windows that separated the cool fall night air from the warmth of the Gryffindor Common Room. An hour earlier the party would have been in full swing, another party that was meant to celebrate the most recent victory of the Gyrrindor Quidditch team. People had been singing and dancing, celebrating. It had been loud between people talking and the music that had been playing. Now, it was quiet and the majority of the rest of the House had gone to bed, except for two seventh year best friends. One, a member of the Quidditch team, loud and flirtatious, the kind of guy that if he was drunk enough, he'd hook up with someone didn't matter who; he was attracted to attractive people. The other was the studious of the two, quiet and much more shy than his friend, he was the one who would always be there to take care of his friend when he was drunk. It was the least that Remus Lupin could do for Sirius Black, and by their 7th year, Remus was used to it.<p>

There had been fire-whiskey at the party, Remus could smell it a mile away, hating the stuff personally, but watched as his friends drank themselves to the point where they had decided to start singing the school song at the top of their lungs. Badly. The only reason he was even in the Common Room sitting on the floor with his back against the couch was because Sirius was just drunk enough that even with help, there was little chance he would make it up the stairs. Sirius was sprawled on the couch that Remus was leaning against, the two just watching the fire in a comfortable silence.

Remus was relaxed enough that his mind had started to warnder to places that Remus would have very much preferred to never have it go. It was a dark place that was always there to remind him of his bleak future once he left Hogwarts. He was a wizard, but there would be no one in the world that he loved so much that would dare higher a werewolf, and certainly no one in the muggle world would either as he did not have the education muggles did. His curse seemed to have complete control of his life; his past, his present, and his future. His eyes closed the overwhelming feeling of sorrow starting to return to his chest. It was a fear that he would have nothing after school that he kept silent.

"Moony's got a sad face," Sirius mumbled into the couch, his speech only slightly slurred, better than it had been before. "Thinkin' bout it again ain't ya?" Or perhaps he was just skilled at speaking without the slur.

With a roll of his eyes, Remus turned to look at his friend. "How is it that despite my best efforts, you can still read me like an open book? And how are you able to even recognize what I could possibly be thinking about in that intoxicated state you're in?" he asked the young man on the couch. It was true, Sirius could always tell what he was feeling; it did not matter how hard Remus tried to hide it, Sirius always knew.

"Cause I know you." He paused. "And Moony you told me."

Fair enough, but the only reason that he had told Sirius was because Sirius had found him on his bed in tears after talking to McGonagall about what classes he should take during his final years at Hogwarts. He could take basically whatever he wanted to, do excellent in the classes, get O's on his NEWTs, and still not be hired anywhere because of his furry little problem.

If he ever found Fenrir Greyback, and had the advantage, he would kill him. Regardless if it would send him straight to Azkaban. He wanted the bastard dead.

"Get that look off you're face Remus John Lupin, you are no killer." Remus stared at Sirius with a look of shock, half wondering if Sirius was actually immune to the effects of alcohol and only pretended to be drunk half the time. "They'll get him one day they'll put him away."

"Bloody hell Sirius what do you do read my mind?" He sank back against the couch, his eyes on the fire again, just staring absentmindedly into the flickering flames that glowed bright with the promise of heat, and pain. "Course I'm worried about after Hogwarts, course I want him dead. But I am fine Sirius Orion Black. Just fall asleep already so I can carry your drunken ass upstairs." So his relaxed state had turned to one that was completely agitated in a matter of seconds, and it was all thanks to Sirius whom had gone silent.

He both loved and hated him. Sirius knew him probably better than anyone else at the school, and somehow still managed to drive him up the wall, knowing exactly what to say, how to say it, and when to say it to get a rise out of him. It worked every single time, though this time, Sirius at least seemed to realize that he had messed up. Sirius was a complicated one, during their earlier years at the school, Remus could see how absolutely miserable he was thanks to his family. That had changed when Sirius had moved in with James, the happiness had returned to his eyes, his laugh was loud and joyful again. Remus was glad that Sirius was happy again, and at the same time…it meant that Sirius was no longer blind to anyone else's emotions since he was no longer wallowing in a pit of sorrow. Sirius had that uncle that left him the gold…Remus? Well, Remus was being completely prepared to be homeless and broke after school. Perhaps moving to another country would work better…

The couch moved and Remus glanced to his left just in time to see Sirius sinking down onto the floor beside him. "Hey…Remus, I got a crazy idea." There was a mischievous look in Sirius's eyes, one that Remus knew all too well. Whatever the idea was, it couldn't be a good one…

However… "And what is that Sirius?" So his curiosity got the better of him yet again. He wanted to know what the dog had up his sleeve that was so crazy. Generally, Sirius's crazy ideas always worked out in the end and were the most brilliant ones on the planet. Mad scientist? No…he was more the creative genius than anything that could-no Sirius probably could get himself into trouble with that mind of his.

Sirius leaned closer, the mischievousness that was in his eyes seemed to sparkle with nothing short of glee and excitement, the light from the fire dancing in his dark eyes. "After Hogwarts, once we graduate," he began, and with each word Remus could smell the fire-whiskey on his breath. "When we're thirty, if we're still single, let's get married. Then at least we won't be alone. Yeah?"

For a moment, Remus was not entirely sure if Sirius was actually sincere or just so drunk that it seemed like a good idea to make a deal to marry his best friend if they were thirty and still single. Where did he even come up with such an idea? Wait it was Sirius, he probably thought of it first year and was waiting for the perfect opportunity to propose it. And yet, what could possibly be the harm? Why not just take the chance and the leap of faith for once that Sirius was actually being sincere with a crazy idea? "Yeah, all right Sirius. When we're thirty if, and only if, we are still single I'll marry you."

As Sirius leaned in just a bit closer, Remus grinned and pressed his finger to his friend's lips. "But till then, you don't get to kiss me. We are friends after all." The werewolf got to his feet leaving Sirius there staring at him. "Night Padfoot." He was making his way up the stairs to the dormitory, he could hear the sounds of Sirius probably crawling after him echoing up the stairs, but he didn't stop. It was time for bed, and he had a lot to think about. After all, he did technically get engaged to his best friend.

**Seventeen Years Later**

The thirty year mark had come and passed with no spectacular wedding of Remus Lupin to Sirius Black. Too much had happened after they left Hogwarts. With the death of Lily and James, Sirius had been arrested and sent to Azkaban for allegedly killing Peter and a dozen muggles, and Remus essentially went underground. He had not seen or heard from his fellow Marauder for nearly fourteen years. Remus honestly thought that he would never see Sirius again, and then he started teaching at Hogwarts.

It had not taken the werewolf long to recognize the black dog that had been seen wandering around the grounds, and, at first, Remus was filled with nothing but anger and hate for the man. Until he saw the map, until he saw Peter's name on it. It hadn't been Sirius who made it so Voldemort could kill the Potters. It hadn't been him. He had been innocent.

The end of the school year saw the two friends reunited at long last, and Remus losing the first paying job he had ever had after Hogwarts thanks to his secret being let slipped at breakfast. He had no place to go, or thought he didn't. Again, he found himself in need of help, and that help came in the form of a large, bear like black dog. He was to live with Sirius.

He stood outside Number 12 Grimmauld Place, London, waiting, just waiting for something, for him to open the door and invite him in. His breath caught in his throat as the door opened and there he was. There was Sirius Black. Older yes, but still the man that he knew in school. The light had returned to his eyes. After a moments hesitation, Remus climbed the steps and entered the building, only to be quickly led away from the door and into the sitting room.

Remus looked around. "Nice place…" He was half serious, the place was big and completely secure. To Remus, it seemed perfect. He turned to look for Sirius who had not responded to his comment to see the man down on one knee, a smirk plastered across his face as Sirius took Remus's hand. "Sirius…?"

"Don't think I had forgotten Moony, we made a promise. We're both over thirty, and we're both single. So I'm doing this proper. " Oh…yeah….Remus had nearly forgotten about that promise, and as he looked at Sirius he couldn't stop grinning, shaking his head, trying desperately not to laugh at Sirius formally proposing to him. "Remus John Lupin, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

There was only one obvious answer, to which Remus sank down to kneel in front of his friend, his fiancé. "Yes Sirius Orion Black, I will marry you…" The werewolf leaned forward and let his lips brush against the animagus's. The longing he had felt, the loneliness that had developed in him after the deaths of Lily and James, and Sirius's arrest melted away as they kissed. They were together, they would be that way till the day either one of them died.

It was to be the wedding of the century that only would happen thanks to a drunken promise made during their seventh year. And Remus never regretted making it.

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><p><strong>So the Sixteen Years Later is, if I did my math right, how many years it would have been from the time they left Hogwarts in 1978 to 1994 when Remus was teaching at Hogwarts and Sirius escaped. (I think...or it would be in 1993). I think I did my math right. If not oh well.<strong>

**Reviews are loved! 3**


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